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Carrizo Mountain sandmat

desert spurge, Sonoran sandmat, tiny sandmat

Habit Herbs, annual, with slender taproot.
Stems

prostrate, mat-forming, 5–35 cm, glabrous or shortly pilose.

Leaves

opposite;

stipules distinct, subulate, 0.2–0.4 mm, pilose;

petiole 0.5–1.2 mm, glabrous or pilose;

blade ovate to elliptic, 6–15 × 2–4 mm, base asymmetric, one side cuneate to rounded, other side rounded, margins entire, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous or pilose;

venation obscure or only midvein conspicuous.

Involucre

campanulate, 0.4–0.6 × 0.5–0.9 mm, glabrous or pilose;

glands 4, red, circular to oblong, 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm;

appendages absent.

Staminate flowers

2–5.

Pistillate flowers

ovary usually glabrous, rarely pilose;

styles 0.1–0.2 mm, 2-fid at apex.

Capsules

oblong, 1.3–1.5 × 1.1–1.3 mm, usually glabrous, rarely pilose;

columella 1–1.2 mm.

Seeds

light gray, narrowly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1 × 0.5–0.6 mm, smooth to slightly rugose or with 1–4 faint transverse ridges that do not pass through abaxial keel.

Euphorbia

pediculifera can be variable in terms of leaf shape and the extent of pubescence, but the species is readily identified by the short, appressed hairs on the leaves and the distinctive seed that is encircled by a series of round, transverse ridges.

Cyathia

solitary at distal nodes;

peduncle 0.4–1.4 mm.

Euphorbia pediculifera

Euphorbia micromera

Phenology Flowering nearly year-round in response to sufficient rainfall.
Habitat Desert scrub, riparian woods with ash and willow, saltbush scrub, Joshua tree woodlands and grasslands, often in sandy or gravelly areas.
Elevation -20–1800 m. (-100–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).

Euphorbia pediculifera var. linearifolia S. Watson is found only near Guaymas in southwestern Sonora, Mexico.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 281. FNA vol. 12, p. 278.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum
Sibling taxa
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
Subordinate taxa
E. pediculifera var. pediculifera
Synonyms Chamaesyce pediculifera Chamaesyce micromera
Name authority Engelmann: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 186. (1859) Boissier: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 5: 171. (1861)
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